Rat vs. Possum — What's the Difference?

A small rodent with a pointed snout and a long tail.

A marsupial with a pouch for carrying and nurturing young.

A common pest often found in urban areas.

A nocturnal animal that forages for food at night.

Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus Rattus.

A marsupial mammal with a prehensile tail.

A rodent that resembles a large mouse, typically having a pointed snout and a long tail. Some kinds have become cosmopolitan and are sometimes responsible for transmitting diseases.

A furry creature known for its tree-dwelling habits.

A despicable person, especially a man who has been deceitful or disloyal

A marsupial that plays a role in the ecosystem through pollination and seed dispersal.

A person who is associated with or frequents a specified place

A tree-dwelling Australasian marsupial that typically has a prehensile tail.

A pad used to give shape and fullness to a woman's hair.

Chiefly Southern US An opossum. See Note at tater.

Used to express mild annoyance or irritation.

Any of several nocturnal arboreal marsupials of the suborder Phalangeriformes, native to Australia and adjacent islands and introduced elsewhere.

Hunt or kill rats

(US) An opossum, a marsupial of the family Didelphidae of the Americas.

Desert one's party, side, or cause

Any of the marsupials in several families of the order Diprotodontia of Australia and neighboring islands.

Shape (hair) with a rat.

(intransitive) To play possum; to feign sleep, illness, or death.

Any of various long-tailed rodents resembling mice but larger, especially one of the genus Rattus.

An opossum.

Any of various animals similar to one of these long-tailed rodents.

Nocturnal arboreal marsupial having a naked prehensile tail found from southern North America to northern South America

A despicable person, especially one who betrays or informs upon associates.

Small furry Australian arboreal marsupials having long usually prehensile tails

A scab laborer.

A pad of material, typically hair, worn as part of a woman's coiffure to puff out her own hair.

(Slang) A person who frequently passes time at a particular place. Often used in combination

To hunt for or catch rats, especially with the aid of dogs.

(Slang) To reveal incriminating or embarrassing information about someone, especially to a person in authority

(Slang) To work as a scab laborer.

To puff out (the hair) with or as if with a pad of material.

(zoology) A medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus.

(informal) Any of the numerous members of several rodent families (e.g. voles and mice) that resemble true rats in appearance, usually having a pointy snout, a long, bare tail, and body length greater than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.

(informal) A person who is known for betrayal; a scoundrel; a quisling.

(informal) An informant or snitch.

(informal) A scab: a worker who acts against trade union policies.

(slang) A person who routinely spends time at a particular location.

A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.

A roll of material used to puff out the hair, which is turned over it.

Vagina.

(regional) A scratch or a score.

A place in the sea with rapid currents and crags where a ship is likely to be torn apart in stormy weather.

(usually with “on” or “out”) To betray a person or party, especially by telling their secret to an authority or an enemy; to turn someone in.

To work as a scab, going against trade union policies.

(of a dog, etc.) To kill rats.

(regional) To scratch or score.

To tear, rip, rend.

Damn, drat, blast; used in oaths.

One of several species of small rodents of the genus Rattus (formerly included in Mus) and allied genera, of the family Muridae, distinguished from mice primarily by being larger. They infest houses, stores, and ships, especially the Norway rat, also called brown rat, (Rattus norvegicus formerly Mus decumanus), the black rat (Rattus rattus formerly Mus rattus), and the roof rat (formerly Mus Alexandrinus, now included in Rattus rattus). These were introduced into America from the Old World. The white rat used most commonly in laboratories is primarily a strain derived from Rattus rattus.

A round and tapering mass of hair, or similar material, used by women to support the puffs and rolls of their natural hair.

One who deserts his party or associates; hence, in the trades, one who works for lower wages than those prescribed by a trades union.

In English politics, to desert one's party from interested motives; to forsake one's associates for one's own advantage; in the trades, to work for less wages, or on other conditions, than those established by a trades union.

To catch or kill rats.

To be an informer (against an associate); to inform (on an associate); to squeal; - used commonly in the phrase to rat on.

Any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse

Someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike

A person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible;

One who reveals confidential information in return for money

A pad (usually made of hair) worn as part of a woman's coiffure

Desert one's party or group of friends, for example, for one's personal advantage

Employ scabs or strike breakers in

Take the place of work of someone on strike

Give (hair) the appearance of being fuller by using a rat

Catch rats, especially with dogs

Give away information about somebody;

A rodent species belonging to the Muridae family.

A creature known for its gnawing behavior.

A mammal that reproduces quickly and in large numbers.

A rat is a small rodent with a pointed snout and a long tail.

Rats are found worldwide and are often associated with urban areas.

Yes, rats are often considered pests due to their ability to damage property and transmit diseases.

Possums play roles in pollination and seed dispersal, benefiting their ecosystems.

A possum is a marsupial mammal known for its prehensile tail and furry appearance.

No, possums and opossums are different species. Opossums are found in North America, while possums are found in Australia and other regions.

Rats have a pointed snout and a long tail, while possums have round faces and long, furry tails.

Rats can carry diseases such as leptospirosis and are vectors for disease transmission.

No, rats can have negative impacts on ecosystems and are often considered invasive, while possums play unique roles in their environments.

Rats are known for gnawing and scavenging, while possums are arboreal, nocturnal, and forage for food.

Possums have prehensile tails for climbing and gripping, aiding in their tree-dwelling lifestyle.

Yes, both possums and opossums are marsupials, but they are distinct species found in different parts of the world.

While they can inhabit overlapping regions, they have different ecological niches, and their interactions are limited.

Rats belong to the family Muridae, while possums are marsupials, belonging to different taxonomic groups.

Possums are marsupials, with females carrying and nurturing their young in a pouch.